Water-stage recorder.



1. c. STEVENS. WATER STAGE RECORDER. APPLICATION FILED AUG.26. I912 Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

illl r III J. C. STEVENS; WATER STAGE RECORDER. APPLICATION FILED AUG-26, 1912.

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Gum/M1 3 Patented Dec. 7

J. C. STEVENS. WATER STAGE RECORDER.

I APPLICATION FILED AUG.26. I912. 1,163,279.

171516 of firm] Pererses litre m/ (0 gm P/Vi huzooeo v Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN C. STEVENS, OF PORTLAND, OREGON, ASSIGNOR T0 LEUPOLD, VOELPEL & CO., A PARTNERSHIP COMPOSED OF FREDERICK LEUPOLD, ADAM J. VOELPEL, AND JOHN C. STEVENS; 0F PORTLAND, OREGON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 26, 1912. Serial No. 717,157.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. STEVENS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah,

State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water-Stage Recorders, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to water stage recorders, and is designed especially to record accurately the rise and fall of water in lakes, reservoirs, rivers, irrigation canals, harbors and the like.

An object of this invention is to provide mechanism, whereby the rise and fall of water will be accurately recorded within a predetermined space indicated upon a narrow strip of paper or other suitable recording material. I

Another object of this invention is the provision of mechanism, including a continuous belt, a cam, and accelerators, the purpose of which is to transform a circular motion into a linear motion without alfecting the relative positions and movements of the float and marking instrument.

A further object of this invention is to provide a substantial power mechanism for the regulation of the speed of the recorder which consists of a clock movement designed to be driven by main-springs, with a lead weight as the driving medium.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of an adjustable tensioning device for keeping the material upon which the record is made taut and properly positioned during the unwinding and winding upon the respective reels.

WVith these and other objects in View this invention consists in the further arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and pointed out in-the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved water stage recorder in use. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail end view of one of the accelerators. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the adjustable tensioning device, and Figs. 6

and 7 are detail views showing the manner in which the paper or recording material is attached to the drum on which it is to be wound after having had. the readings marked thereon. Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the feed of the paper and the reels. Fig. 9 is a view of a record made by my device. Figs. 10 and 11 are diagrammatic views showing the reversing of the carriage.

The recorder as shown consists of a horizontally disposed marking carriage, which travels back and forth across a predetermined space indicated upon the ordinary cross section tracing paper, (of about 11 inches in width); a series of reels and a drum for presenting the paper properly positioned in the path of the marker; an accelerating mechanism used for quickly reversing the line of travel of the marking carriage; a counterpoised float for moving the carriage, and a clock mechanism which drives the recording paper and regulates the speed thereof at the same time.

Referring to the drawings, the marking carriage 1 is slightly mounted upon the upper and lower tracks 2 and 3 which are supported by the standards 4: at each end, upon the foundation plate. Small wheels 5 are mounted at the corners of the triangularly shaped body portion of the carriage, and reduce the friction of the carriage to a minimum. The marking instrument which, in this case is a pencil 6, is supported from a pivotally mounted frame 7 which latter is swung upon a pivot pin 8 positioned between outstanding bearing supports 9 formed upon the body portion of the carriage. By so arranging the marker it will always bear upon the paper as it passes around one of the reels, as best shown in Fig. 3. The carriage body portion is further provided with a cam 10 which is formed within a thickened portion protruding slightly from the carriage. This cam is of a substantially diamond shape and receives a pin 11 extending from a continuous band which passes in front of the carriage, and which is moved in either direction according to the rise and fall of the water by a mechanism to be presently described.

The recording paper is presented to the marker through the reel 12 and drum 13, the former of which contains the paper to receivfi the readings and the latter of which Patented Dec. '7, 1915. v

presents the paper beneath the marker. A second reel 11 receives the paper after being marked. The reel 12 which holds the paper before marking, is supported between the uprights 1'5 and 16. The adjustable tensioning device which controls the relative tautness of the paper consists of a threaded sleeve 17 at one end and a threaded stud 18 at the other end.

The sleeve 17 receives a pintle 19 which is keyed therein. A collar 20 is provided at one end of the pintle and acts to retain a coil spring in conjunction with the inner end of the threaded sleeve. Supporting studs 21 enter the reel proper at each end and allow it to rotate in accordance with the tension desired. In securing the proper tension of tautness, the sleeve 17 and stud 18 are each adjusted in their respective uprights, after which set screws 22 firmly hold the adjustment secure. The spring will now act between the collar 20 and sleeve 17 and determines the tension. As the paper leaves the reel 12 it passes under and around the presenting drum 13 beneath the marker. as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3. This drum 13 is supported at one end in an upright 21, and at the other end in a recess 25, formed in the end of the clock shaft mechanism. A set screw 26 couples the end of the drum shaft and the clock shaft together thus imparting to the drum the exact speed of the clock. 1

Referring to the second reel 14 upon which the recorded paper is wound, reference will be had to Fig. 8. The reel is supported through the arms 27 which are pivotally mounted upon the pins 28 extending from the uprights 15 and 16. This arrangement permits of the reel 14 resting upon the drum 13 and accommodating itself thereto as the record is wound. Upon the inside of the reel at its center is provided a spring finger carrying a sharp pin 14:. A slot 14" is also formed in the reel and is adapted to receive the end of the record when being attached to the same. The record is put into the slot and then forced downward, the spring finger being pushed back, through the finger hole 14. When released the sharp pin on the finger engages the record and holds it securely as it is wound. By this entire relative arrangement of the marker carriage and the recording paper, it will be obvious that the paper is accurately presented for readings beneath the marker.

The mechanism which operates the carriage and in connection with which the accelerators are used, consists of the band or endless carrier 30 heretofore mentioned, which carries the pin 11 that engages the cam 10; two spine wheels 31 and 32 around which the band passes; and a large pulley 33 over which the rope 34, which carries the counterpoised float 35 passes.

The accelerators 36 and 37 are adjustably mounted at each end of the endless band upon the lower guide bar 3, and serve to quickly reverse the direction of travel of the carriage. As the pin 11 reaches either of the spine wheels 31 or 32, the motion of the pin changes from linear to that of circular, and in order to insure that the pin will always follow the proper portion of the cam and take up any lost motion that may occur at this time, the accelerators are positioned at their respective points and adjust ed by trial for proper operation. The standards 38 of the accelerators have pivoted to their side arms 39, the outer end of which are bifurcated. Operating within each bifurcated arm 39, as the carriage draws near its end of travel. is a pin 10 which extends from the carriage body portion. As the pin 10 engages one side of the bifurcation the arm 39 will swing on its pivot by reason of the continued motion of the carriage; a spring 11 is secured to each arm and the standard securing pin and tends to draw each arm downwardly. Stops 12 at either side of the standards prevent the drawing downwardly of the arms past a certain point. When the pin 10 engages thebifurcated end of the arm 39, said arm will be swung about its pivot as a center. As soon as the arm crosses a vertical position, the spring will throw the arm so as to bring the other face of the bifurcated portion into contact with the pin 10, and said arm, through the action of the spring, will tend to move the carriage along the supporting tracks therefor. At the time when the arm is passing the vertical position the pin 11 reaches a pointwhere its movement changes from a right line movement to a curve-linear movement. The movement of this pin 11, from.

its straight path of travel will also cause it to pass down in the cam slot 10, formed in the carriage. The arm 39 will keep the left hand wall of the slot 10 in contact with the pin 11, and prevent any lost motion. As a cording instrument for each increment of variation in the rising of the water. When the pin 11 passes beyond or below the position indicated in Fig. 11, the carriage will be forced back by the pin, that is, the direction of the movement is reversed. This backward movement of.the carriage is retarded by the arm 39, through the action of the spring 41, and again the pin 11 will be held in contact with one wall of the cam slot 10, and all lost motion will be avoided. From the above construction'it will be apparent that for a continued movement of the carrier or band 30 in the same direction, the carriage will be moved uniformly to a point of reversing, and then reversed, and moved backward, and all its movements up to the point of reversing and away from the point of reversing will correspond exactly with the increments of movement of any portion of the band in the straight path of travel thereof. In other words, the movement of the carriage is, in effect, the same as though the pin 11 on the band moved in the straight path to a point of reversing and reversed without loss of motion. The same operation takes place at each end of the limit of travel of the carriage.

When my device is used for registering or recording the rise and fall of water, a float 35 is suspended from a rope or cable 34, which passes over the pulley 33, and this pulley 33 is mounted on a shaft 43, which carries the spine 31. Both the pulley 33 and spine 31 are keyed to the shaft so that all movements of the pulley will be transferred to the spine. The cable extends around the pulley 33 and is provided with a counterbalance. The float rises and falls with the water and each increment of variation in the rising or falling of the water will impart like increments of movement to the pulley 33 and each increment of movement given to the pulley 33 will be transmitted to the band 30 and to the carriage moved thereby, which carries the recording instrument.

The drum which presents the recording sheet of paper to the recording instrument is moved and controlled by a clock mechanism, which includes a drum 46 on which is wound a cable 45, which cable suspends a weight 44. The drum shaft is keyed to the main shaft 47 extending into the clock mechanism. As heretofore pointed out, the drum 13 is caused to rotate at a uniform rate of speed by this clock controlled mechanism.

In the operation of my device the recording sheet is caused to travel at a uniform rate of speed by the supporting drum, and the recording instrument is moved back and forth across said sheet in order to record the variations in the rise and fall of the Water. In Fig. 9, I have shown a record wherein the rising of the water was of such extent as would carry the recording instrument beyond the limit of the recording sheet. That I is to say, the continued rising of the water caused the recording instrument to move entirely across the sheet to the limit thereof, and then reverse and move in the opposite direction across the sheet while the band which drives the carriage was moving in the same direction. When the maximum point, indicated at 26 in the drawing, was reached, and the water began to fall, the recording instrument reversed its movement by reason of the reverse movement in the band 30,

and when the recording instrument again reached the limit of the sheet its direction of travel was reversed, although the band continued to move in the same direction. By this arrangement, I am able to record on a relatively narrow sheet, excessive changes in the rise and fall of the water. Such a sheet may be, therefore, proportioned so as to take care of the normal rise and fall of the water without any reversing of the recording instrument, as above pointed out, while abnormal changes in the-rise and fall of the water will be as readily taken care of by this reversing or laying back of the curve on the recording sheet. When the recording instrument is caused to reverse by continued rising of the water, this will be apparent from an inspection of the chart or record made, for the reason that the record will extend to precisely the same point at the time of reversing, that is, the points indicated at 21 on the record sheet are in the same line.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have provided a recording device wherein the recording instrument is moved laterally of the sheet for recording variations in the rise and fall of the water, and the means for moving the recording instrument is so constructed as to reverse its direction of travel on reaching the limit of the recording sheet, while recording increments of variation in the same direction. I have also provided a recording device wherein the instrument may be reversed at any point in its travel for indicating the changes in direction of the increments of variation.

While I have described my device as especially adapted for recording the rising and falling of water, it will be obvious that said device may be-used for the recording of variations in the condition of any body. It will also be obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and the arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A water stage recorder including in combination a recording sheet, a recording instrument, means for causing said sheet to travel at a uniform speed beneath said instrument, and means for moving said instrument laterally of the sheet for recording variations in the rise and fall of the water, said means including an endless car rier, a carriage, means for connecting the carriage to the endless carrier, and means for accelerating the movement of the carriage when said connecting means for the carriage is following the curved path of the carrier, whereby the movement of the carriage will correspond to the rise or fall of the water.

2. A water stage recorder including in combination a recording sheet, a recording instrument, means for causing said sheet to travel at a uniform speed beneath said instrument, and means for moving said instrument laterally of the sheet for recording the variations in the rise and fall of the water, said means including a carriage, an

'endless carrier, means for connecting the endless carrier to the carriage, whereby said carriage is moved back and forth by said carrier, and accelerating devices located at each end of the carrier for moving the carriage relative to the carrier during the reversing action of the carriage by a continuous movement of the carrier in the same direction.

3. A water stage recorder including in combination a recording sheet, a recording instrument, means for causing said sheet to travel at a uniform speed beneath said instrument, and means for moving said instrument laterally of the sheet for record- 111g variations in the rise and fall of the water, said means including an endless carrier, a pin carried thereby, a carriage supporting said recording instrument, said car-' riage having a cam groove formed therein for said pin, whereby when said pin is following the curved path of travel of the carrier, said carriage will be accelerated so as to give a movement thereto to accord with the rise and fall of the water.

4. A water stage recorder including in combination a recording sheet, a recording instrument, means for causing said sheet to travel at a uniform speed beneath said instrument, and means for moving said instrument laterally of the sheet for recording variations in the rise and fall of the water, said means including an endless carrier, a pin carried thereby, a carriage supporting said recording instrument, said carriage having a cam groove formed therein for said pin, whereby when said pin is following the curved path of travel of the carrier, said carriage will be accelerated so as to give a movement thereto to accord with the rise and fall of the water, and accelerating devices located at each end of said carrier for engaging the carriage and for holding the pin on the carrier against the wall of the slot in the carriage during the travel of the pin along the cam slot.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN C. STEVENS.

Witnesses:

R. M. PARKINS, E. G. MASON. 

